What Is an Elopement? Meaning, Guests and How It Works

An elopement is a small wedding planned around the two of you, usually with fewer than 20 guests and sometimes none at all. Eloping once meant running off to marry in secret, without your parents' approval. Today the word also covers small weddings that families know all about, chosen so the day centres on the couple rather than a crowd.

Wedded Wonderland plans elopements abroad, from a caldera terrace in Santorini to a villa above Ubud, so you can hand over as much of the planning as you like.

Key takeaways

An elopement is a small, intentional wedding, usually with fewer than 20 guests.
The word once meant marrying in secret without parental approval, and now also covers small weddings families know about.
An elopement is a legal marriage when it meets the marriage law of the place where you marry.
A micro wedding is bigger, usually under 50 guests, with both a ceremony and a reception.

What Does Elope Mean?

Elope originally meant to marry in a sudden and secret way, often by travelling away from home to marry without parental approval. Some couples eloped to avoid parental or religious objections. In Malaysia, the term "kahwin lari" translates as "marriage on a run".

The meaning has softened. As Wikipedia records, citing Merriam-Webster, elope is now used for any marriage that happens quickly or without a long public engagement, and for small, low-key weddings even when the parents know all about it.

What Is a Modern Elopement?

A modern elopement is a wedding stripped back to what matters to you as a couple. You keep the traditions you love, drop the ones you don't and spend the day with each other rather than working the room.

An adventure elopement adds an activity you both enjoy, and it doesn't have to be extreme. A hike to a viewpoint, a boat ride or a morning exploring a new city all count.

Bride in a lace gown holding hands with the groom beside a stone wall

Photo: Anemotion

How Many Guests Can Come to an Elopement?

Most elopements have fewer than 20 guests, and some have just a few close family members, or none at all. There is no fixed rule. Some couples bring only their parents and siblings, while others bring a handful of close friends.

If you are eloping in Australia, you need two adult witnesses for the marriage to be legal, even with no other guests, so decide early who they will be.

Elopement vs Micro Wedding vs Courthouse Wedding

The three overlap, but they are not the same thing:

Elopement: usually under 20 guests, built around the couple, and often somewhere scenic or far from home.
Micro wedding: usually under 50 guests, most often 20 to 30, with both a ceremony and a reception. Our guide to the micro wedding explains how to plan one.
Courthouse wedding: a civil ceremony at a courthouse or registry office. It can be an elopement, but an elopement doesn't have to happen at a courthouse.

Is an Elopement a Legal Marriage?

Yes. An elopement is a marriage like any other, so it is legally binding when it meets the marriage law of the place where you marry. In the US, that means a marriage licence from the county where you marry and a signed certificate returned on time. In Australia, it means a notice lodged with an authorised celebrant at least a month ahead and two adult witnesses.

If you elope overseas, decide early whether the ceremony will be legal or symbolic. Many couples keep the ceremony abroad symbolic and sign the paperwork at a registry at home before or after they travel. Our guide to eloping legally covers each step.

Why Do Couples Choose to Elope?

Couples elope for different reasons:

To be present. A small day leaves time for your partner instead of hosting guests.
To keep it personal. You choose the setting, the traditions and the people.
To spend less. Without a large venue or catering for a crowd, an elopement usually costs less than a big wedding.
To avoid stress. Fewer moving parts means fewer decisions and less pressure on the day.

Couple walking hand in hand down a hotel corridor

Photo: Hassan Haddad

Where Do People Elope?

Anywhere that means something to you both, from a national park, a quiet beach or a clifftop to a city you love or somewhere abroad. Our list of the best elopement destinations covers 20 places around the world, and our cost to elope in Bali guide breaks down what a Bali elopement costs.

How to Elope

Once you know you want to elope, the planning comes down to a few decisions. Our step-by-step guide on how to elope goes through each one in detail.

Decide what your day looks like
Agree on the setting, who comes and whether you want a short ceremony or a full day.
Choose where to marry
Pick a place that means something to you, at home or abroad.
Sort the legal side
Check the marriage law where you are marrying, or plan a symbolic ceremony and sign at home.
Book your celebrant and photographer
For two people, the photographer matters more than ever.
Tell your family
Decide whether you tell people before or after, and how.

When it comes to sharing the news, our guide to telling family you eloped helps with the conversation. A Wonderland Studio wedding website lets you share your photos and story, and invite everyone to a party once you are home.

Plan Your Elopement With Wedded Concierge

Wedded Concierge plans elopements in Santorini, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, Florence and Venice, Fiji and Bali. Tell us where you picture it, and we plan the day quietly, from the ceremony spot to the photographer.

Wedded Concierge

Plan your elopement with us

Tell us where you picture it and who, if anyone, is coming. We plan it quietly for you.

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Cover photo: Anemotion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between eloping and getting married?

Eloping is a way of getting married, not an alternative to it. An elopement is still a wedding and can be a legal marriage. The difference is size and focus: an elopement is a small day, usually with fewer than 20 guests, planned around the couple rather than a crowd of guests.

Is it cheaper to elope?

In most cases, yes. You skip the large venue, the catering for a crowd and the long guest list. Budget for travel, the photographer, the celebrant and somewhere to stay. Our elopement destination guides show what a trip abroad involves.

Do you have to keep an elopement a secret?

No. Eloping once meant marrying in secret, but you can tell your family before or after, whichever suits you. Some invite parents or close friends to the ceremony. Others marry alone and celebrate with family later, often with a party once they are home.